When I was growing up, I lived in a working class neighborhood, a small house with 5 siblings and one bathroom. My father worked two jobs, one in retail and one as a waiter, and my mother worked as a hairdresser – all to ensure we had a place to live, food on the table, and the ability to attend school and succeed in our own lives. We didn’t have a lot of extras, but we had shelter and I felt safe.
I, like many of you reading this, have never experienced homelessness. Housing insecurity was not a concept that ever crossed my mind. But what I didn’t know at the time was how precarious my sense of comfort and safety actually was. Had anything happened to my parents, had they lost their jobs or suffered a significant health event, we would no longer have access to home, food, and education. We were lucky.
So when I first became active in the housing and homelessness community, I was dismayed to see that there were families who worked just as hard as my parents, who wanted to provide food, clothing, and safety for their children, and now, because of the unprecedented rise in housing costs, can no longer afford a decent place to live, and experience that insecurity every day.
When I came to GAHP, I found an organization that not only creates housing that is affordable for people with low incomes, but that is beautiful, high quality, and actually adds to the revitalization of neighborhoods. I have seen people with severe health issues heal, families reunited, a grandmother making it possible for her granddaughter to stay in school, a veteran finally having the space to connect with his community, a woman who feels supported by the staff and newfound friends in her community. I’ve also seen neighborhoods become more beautiful, improved lighting and sidewalks, and trees in places that were once vacant and an eyesore.
Housing that is affordable for everyone benefits the whole community. I urge you to learn more about what is possible when we talk about “affordable housing.” Visit our website, explore our apartment communities, then support our city in its efforts to move “housing forward.” We have lots of information on our “Build Better” page. You too can help us build a better Albuquerque.
In our proud 30 year history, GAHP has made significant improvements to blighted areas in Albuquerque's neighborhoods. Here is just a small sample of how we are #buildingabetteralbuquerque
Please watch this short video on how GAHP is revitalizing neighborhoods.